To choose the right warehouse site to lease, you first need to know that it matches your requirements.
Questions about size, location, zoning, amenities, and other site attributes that you may want to consider when searching for a warehouse include:
- Size - how many square metres (sqm) do you think you need? What are these calculations based on? Does this account for inventory and excess stock, or future commercial expansion?
- Location - which suburbs or regions are you looking in? Do you need to be close to airports, arterial roads, CBD, or other logistical nodes? Would you consider options in other areas?
- Clearance - 5, 7, 15 metres? What is the maximum clearance height you could require in your warehouse? Does it have to be open-plan?
- Access - does it need to be on the ground floor? Does it need to be free-standing? Do you need car parking facilities? Are there additional access requirements?
- Site attributes - power, lighting, ventilation, plumbing, hydraulic systems, roller doors, fencing? The list goes on...
- Amenities - do you need bathrooms on site (and do they need to be accessible)? Kitchen, office, reception, partitions?
- Fixtures & fittings - should the site be empty? Do you need a fit-out?
- Nearby precincts - proximity to residential or commercial catchments or specific services? For example food & beverage, transporation, recreation
- Premises type & zoning - will the site be single or mixed-use? Is it 100% industrial usage you require permission for, or do you also need usage as an office, or recreation space?
Once you are clear on what is required, you can conduct a more accurate and thorough search of what suitable warehouses are available to lease on the market.
It helps if you can leverage relationships with agents, access extensive property data and know about opportunities that may currently be 'off-market'. Hint: this is where Tenant Leasing Group (TLG) may be able to help.
The next step is choosing from a short-list, and then negotiating your rent and lease terms with the lessor (landlord).
TLG has 50 years' experience finding & signing leases for warehouses around Australia that deliver on business requirements. Any questions? Get in touch.